Miter saw is the best tool for cutting in the market. With the help of best miter saw, you can bevel, crosscut and miter without any hassle. Whether you are chopping or molding, the miter machine can make your life easier. If you want one machine for the cutting purpose, then it should be the miter saw.
And there are so many kinds of miter saw machines available in the market. But which one will be suitable for your cutting job? And you may have to take a look at some miter saw reviews before buying one.
How to Select the Best Miter Saw
While choosing the best miter saws, you have to look at few things like the miter saw type, price, power, durability and its cutting capacity. You can choose the best miter saw based on your budget.
Type of Miter Saw
The first thing that you have to look at is the type of miter saw. There are so many types of miter saw available in the market like standard Miter Saws, compound miter Saw, Dual Compound Miter Saw, and sliding compound miter saw.
a. Standard Miter Saw
Standard Miter saw is the most common type of miter saw. The most used standard miter saws are Porter Cable, Black and Decker, Hitachi and Milwaukee. It’s a heavy tool with a large cutting capacity. It’s an easy way to cut your material without any hustle. The basic cut capacity of a standard miter is 30 degree or 45 degree. It’s good for different angles of cutting. You can adjust your blade angle according to the material that you want to cut.
b. Compound Miter Saw
The compound miter saw is a two-in-one tool. It consists of two separate components – a compound miter saw and a mitre saw combination. This makes it easy for you to cut different angles with its separate blades. The compound miter saws are designed for various angles of mitering, beveling and crosscutting and can cut materials with thickness up to 4 inches.
c. Dual Compound Miter Saw
The dual compound miter saw is a special kind of miter saw. It consists of two different miter saws at the same time. You can adjust each blade separately from the handle. Each blade of the dual compound miter saw works like a standalone miter saw. The dual compound miter can cut about 30-degree, 45 degree and 60 degree for most materials such as plywood, hardwoods, melamine and cork etc.
d. Sliding Compound Miter Saw
The sliding compound miter saw is a special type of miter saw. You can adjust its blade angle without any hassle. It’s an easy and beautiful way for turning on and off its adjustable feature. The sliding compound miter saw contains two parallel fences that move up and down to get the desired cut angle. It has a large base with a fence that connects it to your workpiece. A sliding compound miter saw can easily cut materials of 1-1/8 inches thickness and more.
2. Price Of Miter Saw
Price is not the main thing for choosing the best miter saw. But you have to look at it before buying one. The price of a miter saw depends on its brand and type. You can reduce your budget by buying a standard or compound miter saw without the sliding feature. If you are confused about deciding your budget, then you can take help from miter saw reviews like these.
3. Power Of Miter Saw
The power of a good miter saw is essential for cutting thick materials easily and quickly. Electric machines have a lot of power compared to cordless machines because they can be plugged in any power outlet easily and quickly. You can compare the power and power consumption of a miter saw with its price.
4. Durability and Ease Of Use
A durable miter saw is a must for your day to day cutting tasks. You cannot use a cheap miter saw every day from your workstation. We always complain about cutting the hard materials on our workbench and we prefer buying a fixed blade miter saws than buying one with cordless motor but it’s not sturdy enough for our daily use.
Related Article: Top 5 Best Miter Saw Stands For Your Workshop
You want to buy a lightweight machine that you can carry from your workshop to your home easily without any hassle and without any resistance on the movement of its cuts in the long run?
5. Carrying Case
It’s important to cover your miter saw after every use. You can get one with a carrying case to protect it from getting damaged. It will also help you to transport your miter saw easily. So, make sure to check on the carrying case of your miter saw in the reviews before buying one.
6. Dust Port And Dust Blower
The dust port is accessible for the exhaust of dust and fumes that are caused by cutting materials with a lot of friction such as plywood, hardwoods and melamine etc. When you purchase a miter saw, you should check its dust port beforehand so that you don’t have to suffer from its disadvantages later on.
7. Accessories
If you are looking for a miter saw for industrial purpose, then you may also check whether there are additional accessories included with the miter saw. You can consider buying a power cord and work light separately to help you use a machine after sunset and before morning in your workplace without any difficulty.
a. Blade Guard
The blade guard protects the blade of the miter saw from hitting your operating hand during the cutting process. It’s used to protect the cutting material from getting damaged by the blade of the machine easily. In addition, it helps in decreasing friction between your workpiece and your blade during cutting process.
b. Foot Switch
This is the manual switch that you can operate the miter saw with your feet or your hands. If you are having some difficulty in operating the miter saw, then you should opt for a foot switch so that you can do it easily without any hustle.
c. Miter Gauge
This is a tool used to measure the angles of your cuts easily by using its gauge mark. A miter gauge is used to measure either 45 degree, 90 degree and 45 degree from above and below side of your material so that you don’t get confused about which angle of cutting to use on a particular material. It lets you cut at a specific angle quickly without much hassle.
Also Read: The 5 Picked Best Contractor Table Saw For Project
d. Carbon Brush
If you are using a miter saw for industrial purpose, then it’s important to place carbon brushes on its motor because they help in removing debris that can be created by friction during the cutting process. Without carbon brushes, you may find it difficult to remove debris during your cutting process. So, it’s better for you to buy a miter saw that includes carbon brushes.
e. Wrench
A wrench is also essential for you if you want to tighten your miter saw’s bolt in the long run. It helps in removing debris from metal or wood surfaces easily and quickly. You can use a wrench whenever you want to change the position of an adjustment gauge on your machine.
f. Lubricant
If you don’t have any lubricant, then it will be difficult for the blades of your miter saw moving smoothly on the surface of your material during cutting process. So, it’s better for you to buy a miter saw that includes lubricant for cutting work smoothly and quickly.
Top 8 Best Miter Saw Review
When you are looking for the best miter saw then you should consider some important things such as ease of use, portability and flexibility. The following list of miter saws will surely help you to know about the features which are essential for using the best one from the market. Go through them and choose one according to your needs.
1. Single Bevel DEWALT DW715 Smooth Operations: Best For Performance
If you are looking for a miter saw which can be portable and light in weight, then DEWALT DWS 715 can fit the best for you. The weight of this miter saw is 24 pounds which can get carried anywhere. It comes with the single compound bevel with convenience for the users.
The accuracy of cutting woods through this machine can trim the wood up to 48 degrees. It has the lock system which is adjustable as you work on this machine. To make further changes, you can trim the edges through 11 stops located at the side of the machine.
The effort minimizes when you use this miter saw machine with ease and high speed. The fence slides from the side with the support of molding base up to 6.5 inches. The moldings vertical position reaches up to 5.25 inches. The easy to use a miter saw machine have a lot of features related to safety. The blade has the guard to keep protection from any injuries for the users. While cutting the arm of the wood, it moves aside automatically and gets back when the work gets done.
Pros
- Easy to carry, portable
- Light in weight
- One-sided bevel
- Affordable for anyone
- Fits into the small space
- Smooth edge cutting
- High speed for cutting
- Convenient to use with less noise
Cons
- Does not contain the miter saw stand
2. Portable Miter saw DEWALT DW713: Best value for money
DEWALT DW713 is an amazing machine with sharp edges to cut the wood panels. It has the speed of 15 Amp along with durable power and extensions. The motor delivery is up to 5,000 rpm along with a stainless steel plate. There are 11 stops without any repetition on the accuracy. The durability of this machine is guaranteed with the molding crown support.
The vertical size is 4, and a half inches with sliding out the for the bevel cuts out of the way. The fence support of the machine is there to cut the wood with accuracy and perpendicularly. It keeps the maintenance of the machine overall through miter locking.
When the machine is not in use, the positioning of the table gets locked immediately. It works fine with the adjustments, and there is no dent over time. The angles are clear with this miter saw machine to cut without any error.
Pros
- The material is stainless steel and does not stain
- Strong and quick machine
- Easy to slide to another location
- Easily cuts the wood edges
- Clean and accurate cutting
- A durable machine with a guarantee of five years
- Includes users guide
- Delivery of clean cuts
Cons
- Does not come with the miter saw stand
3. XPS Support DEWALT DW716 Miter Saw: Best fit for budget
The cross cut miter saw machine is great to use for wood cutting with LED light support. DEWALT DW716 comes with XPS support with the speed of 3800 rpm. There is no loading speed, and it works fine with all types of professional cuttings.
The motor delivers 15 amp powerful speed with the extension of durability and high power. The scale is visible with beveling, and it can be adjusted. It is easy to work miter saw, and the speed can be adjusted as it gets used. You can move the miter saw from 0 to 50 degrees angle with huge versatile options. The capacity of this miter saw machine is up to 6 and a half inches with the cam lock. It also has the option of detent override when not in usage.
The stainless steel of the machine helps it to work with accuracy in cutting the woods. It has the blade wrench and carbide blade included within the package. With the help of the user’s guide, the maintenance and operations of the machine can be understood easily.
Pros
- Easy to handle machine
- Cuts smooth edges
- Versatile bevel cutting
- Best for professionals
- Adjustment levels for speed
- Works smoothly for more than five years
Cons
- Does not come with dust bags
4. High-Performance Hitachi C10FCE2 Miter Saw – Best Overall
The woodworkers at home mostly prefer the Hitachi miter saw as the prior choice for cutting purposes. It allows them multiple functions in one machine which is affordable and user-friendly at the same time. The innovative design of the machine has gained popularity in just a few years with resisting the solid material in the machine.
It has a strong motor and cuts the lumber in wide ranges. The beveling and cuts are precise through the adjustments made in the machine. The laser system allows the edge to be smooth and proper as the result while working on it.
There are built-in clamps which hold the lumber tightly as it cuts through the machine. It is one of the popular choices for the homeowners and works great by setting in the budget. Any woodworker can easily work with it especially the beginners.
Pros
- The cutting range is wide and respectable
- It contains thick depth and across the board
- High stockings available with a miter saw
- High capacity within the machine
- Various options to set for beveling
- Perfect alignment system with laser
- Manual switching for laser
- Flexible miter saw with adjustments
- Come with brushes to clean up after the lumber cutting
- Comes with a 5-year warranty
Cons
- Cannot set up the depths
- Does not slide beyond the 10 inches blade
- A lot of chip can be expected
5. Miter Saw Powerful Machine by Makita LS1221: Best for Money
The powerful Miter saw machine by Makita gives ease to cut the wood using multiple applications. It works for the cutting of frames, cabinets or any woodwork.
It has large capacity along with the complete accuracy of cutting the edges smoothly. With the powerful engine, the cutting is fast and high speed due to the versatile design of the miter saw machine. The performance of the machine is up to 15 amp with a direct machine which improves more as the usage.
The weight of the machine is only 37 pounds which can be moved anywhere conveniently on a job site. It has the fencing capacity of 4.5 inches vertical and 5.2 inches horizontally.
Pros
- High-performance results with powerful engine
- Tall fence capacity
- Light in weight
- Convenient to use
- Positive, accurate levels
- Comes with blades and dust bag
Cons
- Does not support miter saw machine stand
6. Sliding Miter Saw Machine DEWALT DWS709: Best compact machine
Sliding miter saw machine by DEWALT DWS709 has a powerful motor of 3800 rpm along with 15 Amp.
It has the sliding fences which are tall and easy to adjust. The design of the fences is back and exclusive. It has the miter plate of stainless steel which has ten stops during cutting. The bevel scale is oversized for the large wood panels to cut. It is light in weight along with compact in size.
The cost of this machine is affordable which delivers high quality of cutting and stays durable for a long time. The crown molding of the machine is up to 5 and a half inches with the base of 4 and a half inches vertical. The lumber dimensions can be 2×14 with 90 degrees along with adjustments.
The detent plate of miter saw is made out of steel which has perfect accuracy for cutting. It has the fencing support to keep the work optimized and cuts with levels.
Pros
- Powerful machine to work with
- Performs with high speed
- Best for large lumber
- Comes with the instructions
- Good for professional’s use
- Affordable in price
- Guaranteed for a long time
- Heavy and large machine
- Various angles cutting
Cons
- Not recommended for newbies
Frequently asked question (FAQ’s)
Here are some questions you may have to ask when buying a good quality miter saw:
What is a miter saw?
Miter saw is the name of an instrument which can cut the lumber into different angles. It is used for cutting and shaping the wood worked on. It comprises of two parts-miter and fence. The miter part consists of two sliding subjects which aid in cutting different pieces as per their thickness or dimension. The fence consists of two stops that are known as right angle fences.
What is the best miter saw for homeowner?
The best miter saw for homeowner is one that is lightweight, has the right beveling option, and strong enough to cut a variety of things. One can select between table saw, compound miter saws or sliding compound miter saws.
What is the easiest miter saw to use?
If you cannot use a miter saw because of its complexity, you can always hire a professional to help you. If you choose to do the work on your own, follow the guide that comes with it and then start cutting the wood accordingly. The simplest miter saw is the one with a few features.
Is Ryobi miter saw good?
Yes, Ryobi miter saw is good enough to cut various materials as per the requirement. It gives smooth and accurate results which are long lasting as well. Its easy to use features make it best for the home improvement projects. With the sliding features, the miter saw is better for cutting different materials. If you are looking for the right miter saw especially if you are a homeowner, it is the right choice.
Why should you never pull cut on sliding miter saw?
Pulling is a technique that uses the saw to push the wood in a direction, and cutting them with a bevel. It looks good, but it is not suitable for the wood you are cutting. Apart from causing the Saw blade to get out of position and make a mess, it may also damage the material.
What is the best miter saw for professional use?
Sliding miter saws are the best choice for professionals. The reason is that they are perfect in cutting a variety of materials. Their long lasting motors can last for the whole day, and they are easy to use. All of them come with the fence settings that can be changed as per your requirements. They are sturdy, and you will never have to worry about the quality for a long time.
Is a chop saw the same as a Mitre saw?
Chop saw is the name of a machine that you can use to cut through the lumber for different purposes. It is similar to a miter saw, but it does not give as fine results. Their base differs as well. A chop saw is a fixed slide that gives the uneven results, while a miter saw is a sliding miter saw which gives accurate results.
Conclusion
Miter saw is a wonderful tool to work with when you are dealing with woodwork. It adds up ease to work and makes it fast. The cutting becomes accurate, and work gets done with precision and neat.
The cutting can be for frames, molds, cabinet or any regular woodwork. Instead of using the saw, this automated machine works like magic for woodworkers.
It can be difficult to choose one miter saw out of many, but the winning one would be DEWALT DWS 780 because of the ability of super cutting. It has the motor of 15 amp and has the left and right molding power.
The contractors and handyman can take complete advantage of this machine to make their life easier at work.
You have to narrow the choices according to your own needs for the best miter saw machine so look at the features and decide the best fit for yourself.